Series Preview: Angels @ Mariners (Best in the West?)

Angels 37-29
Mariners 41-24

So the Mariners have apparently won 21 1-run games this season. I’m afraid to look up those stats on the Angels. Let’s just assume it’s much less than 21. The Mariners have been cooking and have won 9 of their last 10 and are 19-3 over their last 22 games.

The Angels are at least 7-2 in the month of June so that’s good, right? The Angels beat the Mariners 2 games to 1 in their early May series and outscored them 22-10. Pretty sure they are going to have to do something like that again to take the streaking Mariners down a notch.

Know your foe:

Mariners - who’s hot (last 7 days):

Jean Segura .444 OBP, 1 home run, 2 stolen bases
Denard Span .500 OBP, 2 home runs
Nelson Cruz .462 OBP, 3 home runs

Weather Forecast

GAME 1

Andrew Heaney (3.12 ERA) v. Wade LeBlanc (2.94 ERA)
Monday, June 11th @ 7:10PM

Pitcher vs. Batters

Notable Stats

Summary:

Heaney is having a great season and is coming off a complete game 1 hit shutout. Let’s hope he stays dialed in a he faces the Mariners for the first time in 2018.

Pitch Arsenal:

Jerry Dipoto has some twisted affair with Wade LeBlanc who he has now acquired 4 times since 2013. But really, a 2.94 ERA this year? LeBlanc has allowed 3 or fewer runs in all but 1 of his 12 appearances, and in fact as allowed 2 or fewer runs in 10 of them. Angels players don’t have a great history with him, especially Justin Upton who is only 2 for 22.

Pitch Arsenal:

Verdict: Heaney is a better pitcher than LeBlanc, but I’ll be damned if that dude from Friends isn’t pitching well right now. Still, this game should lean Angels if the offense can manages scoring runs on back to back days.

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GAME 2

Jaime Barria (probable) (2.48 ERA) v. Mike Leake (4.46 ERA)
Tuesday, June 12th @ 7:10PM

Pitcher vs. Batters

Notable Stats

Summary:

The Angels haven’t announced a starter yet but I’d be surprised if if it’s not Jaime Barria. He pitched on June 7th so this would be 4 days rest, but they pulled him after 3 innings - probably in anticipation for this day since the Angels received the Ohtani elbow news on the same day that Barria last pitched.

Pitch Arsenal:

Unlike LeBlanc, a lot of Angels players have teed off on Leake, including 3 runs on 7 hits over 5.1 innings back on May 4th. Leake started out the season a bit rough but in his last 4 games he has a 1.85 ERA over 29.2 innings. Leake hasn’t been walking a lot of hitters later, but he is a bit home run prone with 11 allowed over 80 innings this year.

Pitch Arsenal:

Verdict: I like a Barria/Leake matchup and feel good about the Angels potential in this one.

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GAME 3

Garrett Richards (3.26 ERA) v. Marco Gonzales (3.28 ERA)
Wednesday, June 13th @ 1:10PM

Pitcher vs. Batters

Notable Stats

Summary:

Richards is still hanging on to a 3.26 ERA, despite walking 32 batters in 66 innings. He’s only given up 3 runs in his last 12.1 innings including a 7 inning 1-hit beauty against Texas. he held the mariners scoreless over 6.2 innings on May 4th.

Pitch Arsenal:

Over his last 5 games, Gonzales has a minuscule 0.82 ERA over 33.1 innings. Like most of the Mariners pitchers as of late - he’s been on fire. The good news is that the Angels faced him on May 5th and knocked him around for 9 hits and 4 runs, including a Jefry Marte homer. Marte is 3 for 5 against Gonzales with 2 home runs. What are the odds Scioscia starts him in this game?

Pitch Arsenal:

Verdict: Gonzales has been ridiculous lately so this is a tough one to call. He’s gotta come back down to earth eventually, so hopefully this is the game. It’s also a getaway day, so expect a bad Angels lineup that doesn’t give Richards any run support.

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Overall Verdict: The Angels COULD win this series, but I’m not going to stay should. The Mariners have been hot and the Angels are are coming away from playing some pretty mediocre teams. Still, it’d be great if they take 2 games - and they CAN.

Current Standings